Principal Surveyor

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and knowledgeable surveyor to join our Strategic Property Management team as a Principal Surveyor. As a senior member of the team, you will help deliver the Council’s Property Management service through the proactive management of the estate and the identification of opportunities to optimise the portfolio.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

As a senior member of the Property Management team, you will support the proactive management of the Council’s land and property portfolio, ensuring assets are used effectively and meet corporate, service and statutory requirements.

Working closely with Consultant Surveyors and colleagues across the Council, you will lead on a range of estate management matters, property transactions, major capital projects and complex property-related projects.

You will:

• Supervise and direct the work of Surveyors and Senior Surveyors.
• Lead on the acquisition and disposal of land and property interests, from instruction through to completion.
• Manage the Council’s income-generating portfolio, including leases, tenancy agreements, inspections and landlord and tenant matters.
• Complete and sign off valuations, including market and capital accounting valuations.
• Lead on major capital projects, ensuring property requirements are effectively delivered.
• Support the development of property strategies, asset management plans and the Council’s property review programme.
• Identify opportunities to optimise land and property use, reduce operational costs and support the disposal of under-performing or surplus assets.
• Manage complex projects and oversee the work of external consultants and agents where required.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping and managing the Council’s estate, helping to maximise the value and performance of property assets for the benefit of local communities.

We encourage you to contact Stephen Grundy - Consultant Surveyor via email at Stephen.Grundy@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role.

WHAT WILL I NEED?

You will need:

• A relevant degree (or equivalent) and Full Membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), with evidence of continuing professional development.
• Experience in property management, including estate management, acquisitions, disposals, valuations and landlord and tenant matters.
• Strong knowledge of property and strategic asset management, with excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews will be held on week commencing 23rd November 2026.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

HOW TO APPLY

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted.

Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentResources@durham.gov.uk

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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Attachments

• Principal Surveyor Grade 14 ACCESSIBLE.pdf